A group of volunteers grabbed shovels at Churchill Park on Saturday, helping plant 50 new trees as Dallas prepares to host the 2026 World Cup. The event was organized by the City of Dallas, the city’s Park and Recreation Department, and the North Texas World Cup Organizing Committee. The g oal was to make the city more welcoming and more sustainable. Churchill Park has been a community gathering spot since 1959, and leaders said this project adds more life to a beloved space. At the tree planting event, Dallas City Council Member Bill Roth said the park is “one of the most used places in town,” adding that “everybody loves it and we’re going to make it even better today.” Families, college students, and children worked side‑by‑side as instructors guided them through the planting process. “I mean, this is very literal, but we’re planting a seed, you know, and we’re putting these trees in the ground, really doing our part to just make it beautiful, said volunteer Kemi Okeowo. Her three-year-old daughter, Oyin, brought some experience. “I planted a tree at school,” she said. “I think it’s good that Dallas is trying to find the middle ground between hosting the World Cup and making sure the city is nice for people to come,” said volunteer Janiah Cooper. Cooper and her sorority sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha came out to volunteer together. “We get to come and spend time outside and just get our hands dirty,” said Megan Manning, who added that beautifying the environment is one of their program initiatives, too. The idea isn’t just to beautify the city as it prepares to welcome international visitors; it’s also about being a host city that balances sustainability. “How are we operating in a sustainable and environmentally friendly place?” said Monica Paul, president of the North Texas World Cup Organizing Committee. “This [tree planting] helps curb some of the carbon emissions from hosting events.” Those are the values Mar Rivero and Fernando Villanueva came to teach their kids. “We’re here to teach the children about the environment, how to plant, how to take more care of our world,” Rivero said. She added that she hopes people take care of their city regardless of hosting big events. Andrew Dockrill, who came with his toddler, Parker, said it’s an exciting way to prepare for the World Cup. “We’ll get to meet people from all over the world and interact with a lot of different cultures,” said Dockrill. “For everyone to come together in this unique time in the world for competition and sport… it gets us all together and out in good spirits.” ...read more read less